John kibxeby



NOV. 19, 1929. J; KIRKEBY I 1,736,266

AUTOMATIC WATER HEATING SYSTEM Original Filed April 16 1925 Patented Nov. 19,. 192 9 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN xrnxnnv, or sA'N LUIS omsro, cALrronNm AUTOMATIC WATER-HEATING SYSTEM flontinnation of application Serial No. 28,589, filed April 16, 1925. This application filed July 2, 1927.

' Serial No. 203,141. v

My invention relates to improvements in automatic water heaters and the objects of my improvement. areto provide a hot water system with a gas or electric heater which opcrates to heat the water as long as' the ta is open, but which is automatically turned o as soon as .the tap is closed. A further object is to utilize the water pressure in the pipes to shutofi' the supply of gas or to break the electric contacts. This application is a continuation of my application SerialNumber 23,589, filed April 16, 1925.

I accomplish these objects by the means 11- lustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which- I Figure 1 is a side elevation of the parts used in my invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the)gas valve,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top half of the valve, p Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the electric valve.

Pipe '1 draws water from the main, a stop valve 2 is to cut down the supply to a capacity'less than the open faucet, for the purpose of positive operation of thevalve, and

may be adjusted to cut down the force as much as desired. The more nearly this valve 1s closed the slower the water will pass through the heater and the hotter it will run.

A check valve 3 is added to maintain pressure in the system. Pipe 4 carries water to the heater, and pipe 5 runs to the valve 6 by means of which the water pressure keeps the gas to the burner closed.

Pipe 7 connects with the gas mam, and pipe 8 supplies the pilot. Since pipe 8 leads directly from th'e niam, the pilot w1ll burn continuously unaflccted by the valve 6.

Within the valve 6 a circular diaphragm 9 consisting of one or more sheets of rubber is stretched across a cavity so that a capaclous space is left between the diaphragm and the curved wall of the cavity when the diaphragm is released. The curved wall of the cavity IS provided with ports 12'and 1.3. When the hotwater faucet is closed the pressure in the system forces the diaphragm 9 agalnst the up- 5 per wall 10 of the valve 6, and so cuts oil the flow of gas from entering chamber 11 through port 12. I i

7 When the hot water faucet is opened, however, water flows through pipe 4 and relieves the pressure in pipe 5 and in chamber 14 of the valve 6, since the valve 2 is set to a capacity less than the open faucet; the diaphragm immediately straightens allowing a free flow of gas through the ports 12 and 13 to the burner.

. In order to provide a better backing for the dia hra m the ports 12 and 13' are provided wit a p urality of smaller openings 15. The two halves of valve 6 are clamped together by bolts16. v 1 v When a plied to an electric heating system a pin 19 ig. 4 runs from diaphragm 18 to a metal disk 20. Metal parts 21 are insulated from the valveFig. 4 by gasket 22. Pressure within water system breaks the electric contact between metal disc 20 and electrodes 21, and release of pressure causes the straightening of the dia hragm 18 and makes the elec-' tric contact w ich sets up current in the heating element of the electric heater.

The electrodes 21 are to be wired into an electric circuit, which supplies current for an electric water heating unit. In this way Fig.

disc 20 bridging the gap between electrodes 21 when water pressure is released and the diaphragm is relaxed. Electrical vwater heating units are in common use and are made to fit standard pipe fittings. With an arbitrary number of electrical water heating units fitted into standard pipe fittings, allowing small water capacity, a practical electrical automatic water heating system may, in this way be constructed.

It will be understood that Fig. 4 is only an illustration of one form of my valve which 4 constitutes an automatic switch; thexnetal may be constructed in difi'erent ways by mechanical skill. It will also be understood that thin metal or other substance may be inserted or used for diaphragm, and that the pin extending out may be used to operate a gas valve. 7

If water in the main should be cut off, check valve 3 would prevent the return of water firom the system into the main. If the faucet I of and a casting fit over the diaphragm and presenting a cavity facing. the latter and.

was then opened the burner would be lighted,

but steam pressure within the system would soon act both against the check valve and the diaphragm cutting oif the gas and extinguishing the e.

- I claim:

1. In an automatic water heating system the valve described, comprising a conduit adaptedfor connection wit diaphragm stretched over the open end thereshaped to allow the diaphragm to be pressed into intimate contact with t e face thereof, the casting being formed with intake and outlet ports communicating through the cavity and adapted to be kept closed by the pressure of the water system and to relax from contact with the wall of the cavit upon release of pressure, thereby o ening t e gas assage to the burner and a c eck valve an a stop cock also interposed in the system behind the said valve to regulate the flow of water.

2. In an automatic water heating system, the automatic valve described, comprising a casting having a concave face forming a cavity, intake and outlet ports communicating with said cavity through said face, a diaphragm stretched over the cavity through which the gas to the burner must pass by way of the ports, means by which the ressure of the water system forces the diap agm into intimate contact with the concave face, thereby closing both ports, means forrelaxing the diaphragm from the concave face when a faucet is opened, thereby admitting gas to the burner.

3. An automatic water heating system, in which, the gas is kept closed by the water pressure an through the combined action of an open faucet ahead of-the operating mechanism and a partially closed stop cock behind same, and comprislng adiaphragm, two castings clamped upon the rim thereof from opposite sides, so as to leave a central portion free when the diaphragm is relaxed, one of the castings having a concave face forming a cavity with intake 7' and outlet ports communicating throu h the face with the cavity, the sai ports ing connected to the as main so that the gas can pass therethroug to the burner; the other casting being connected to the water system to allow the pressure from same to bear upon one side of the diaphragm forcing it into intimate contact with the concave face of the former casting, closin both ports.

In testimony whereof I here y aflix my signature. I JOHN KERKEBY.

masses a water system, a

opened by release of pressure I 

